Mass Effect: The Fifth Path
by Darth Sith'ari
Summary: John Shepherd has saved the galaxy from the Reaper menace... now there's a galaxy to rebuild. And some colonists to try to help.
1. Chapter 1

Ten years... it had been ten long years since the Reaper War was brought to it's end. The ancient Reapers, sentient starships forged from the organic material of entire species. Had returned to reap the harvest, as they had time after time for untold eons. But this would be there final march, as they were felled.

In the last great battle of the war, over an occupied Earth the great hero, Commander Shepherd. Stood at the apex of the Citadel, and was given four choices by the Catalyst. To take command of the Reapers themselves, as the Illusive Man sought to accomplish and failed. To destroy the Reapers for good, at the cost of all other synthetic life in the galaxy. Undoing the sentience of the geth and EDI. To merge organic and synthetic life as one through his cybernetic nature. Or have all organic civilizations destroyed outright, only leaving a handful of warnings for the next Cycle to deal with the Reapers.

Shepherd rejected all of these choices. Instead, motivated by vengeance for all the lives lost to Saren, the Collectors and the various minions of the Reapers. He pressed on, to the very heart of the Citadel... and cut it out. Disconnected from the Citadel's ancient and almost mythical power source. The Catalyst withdrew in, along with the Reapers from even the most distant reaches of the galaxy. And with them, there vast husk legions simply fell without there masters to direct them.

The war was over... but it came at a price. Without it's power source, the Citadel fell towards the surface of Earth, the ancient capital of the Citadel Council. Few survived it's fall, on or off the ancient station. Among the the survivors was Commander Shepherd himself

In the decade since, the galaxy has rebuilt. Old wounds, centuries old had begun to heal. The krogan had been healed of the Genophage, the rachni had been given a second chance at life. And the quarians and geth had reconciled, finally regaining Rannoch after centuries of exile amidst the stars. But not all was well.

Much of the fleets of the galactic civilizations were decimated, even before the final Battle of Earth. And with the Citadel effectively destroyed, the Council was dissolved. Many of the so-called 'lesser races' were decimated, with races such as the elcor teetering on the brink of extinction. The asari and salarians were disgraced. The asari for hoarding a Prothean relic and technology, and the salarians for there initial inaction in the war. The dalatrass's petty refusal to allow the genophage to be cured. And the ancient Leviathans, the creators of the Reapers still lurked in the shadows of forgotten worlds

But from the ashes, rose the Galactic Coalition. An alliance not unlike the Citadel Council. But unlike before, where while benevolent. It was often inactive, debating endlessly and effectively doing nothing until it was too late. The Coalition strode to maintain some semblance of civilization in the sundered galaxy.

However, this story isn't of how the galaxy stood tall in-spite of the trails and tribulations of the Reapers and there schemes... not now at any rate.

On Rannoch, the sun of Tikkun rose for morning. Near a cliff overlooking on of Rannoch's seas. Near where Shepherd had slain a Reaper Destroyer during the quarians attempt to retake there homeworld. Shepherd had retired from his life of saving the galaxy, with his beloved Liara beside him in bed. Then an alarm went off beside there bed. "Well... it begins." John said as he got up and hit the snooze button on the alarm clock. "Must we John?..." Liara said half-awake. "You know it babe. I just really wish it wasn't THIS early." John said in exhaustion.

"It's only seven. It isn't THAT early." Liara said. "I know... but we've got to be ready. This is a big day no matter how you go about it." John said as Liara got out of bed with her husband. They made there way to the kitchen, and made some bagged lunches. And prepared breakfast. "Ahsoka! Benezia! Elizabeth! Breakfast is ready!" John said, then in a flash three asari children ran down stairs to the table.

"First day of school... how do you think it will go John?" Liara asked as the triplets tore into breakfast like a starved varren. "Any kid of mine can survive anything. Besides, what could possibly go wrong on the very first day of school?" John said proudly as his and Liara's daughters were eating. "Don't forget to brush your teeth girls. And I do mean you Ahsoka." Liara said as they finished eating. "But my teeth are fine mommy!" Ahsoka protested. "We explained this, looking good isn't the point." John said. "Yeah Ahsoka!" Beneziah and Elizabeth. "And don't tease each other! You've got teeth to brush to you know." Liara said.

"But I like brushing my teeth!" Elizabeth said. Eventually the bus for school arrived. Ahsoka was wearing dark burgundy colored boots, finger-less gloves, shirt, and grey stockings. Beneziah wore predominantly black, and Elizabeth was wearing a blue dress. "Remember! Behave yourselves! Make friends. And don't give the teachers too hard a time." John said as the bus departed.

"Speaking of hard times... isn't there a meeting of the Coalition Council today?" Liara asked. "Yes, yes there is. But it's in a couple of hours." John said. "But isn't it supposed to be REALLY important? Something about extra-galactic signals?" Liara asked. "And it can wait until the meeting actually happens. Till then, we got the morning off... kids are out of the house." John said.

"You haven't prepared for the meeting at all have you?" Liara asked. "I think making sure our girls get to school took priority over a meeting." John said.

Several hours latter, John arrived at the meeting in question. It was in a room with a large round table. At each sat a representative of each of the Milky Way Galaxy's space ferrying species. Even the raloi, the newest species encountered before the Reaper War sat at this conference. "So, shall we discuss new business?" John asked. "With cautious optimism: The Phoenix Program has bolstered elcor populations. The cloning technology is creating new elcor to help bolster our population." The elcor representative said. The Phoenix Program was a Coalition program that was created to help reestablish and bolster populations decimated by the Reapers.

"Representative Eyanor: While the continuation of the elcor species is worth celebrating. We have greater issues that require our attention." A geth said. "Oh no... please tell me it isn't a Reaper that survived the war." The raloi representative said. "It isn't. In fact it doesn't concern our galaxy in a direct manner. How many of you are familiar with the Andromeda Initiative?" The geth asked, for a few moments the representatives murmured among themselves. "Anyone? Anyone at all?" The geth asked.

"I do! A few of my relatives got off betraying there gang by signing up with the AI. Some kind of extra galactic colonization operation." Bray, the batarian representative said. "Affirmative. The Nexus and the Arks departed to the Andromeda galaxy a few months before the Reapers began there opening assault." The geth said. "That seems convenient. But do we know anything else Representative N'tuuka?" John asked of the geth representative. "Yes, earlier last week. We received a message... from Andromeda." N'tuuka said.

"Impossible! There's no way we should be able to receive messages from another galaxy! At any rate, it would probably take centuries to get there in the first place!" The volus representative said. "I know of the technical impossibilities. But that does not change that we received a message from the Andromeda galaxy." N'tuuka said. "This one does not understand. Why is this of a matter of concern? Surely even if our galaxy were not in upheaval. We do not have the means to reach Andromeda?" The hanar representative asked. "We don't. But the Consensus is working on the blueprints for a Mass Relay capable of inter-galactic travel. We do not know when it will be completed. But-"

"But we need to focus on rebuilding our galaxy! The Reapers trashed just about everything, and a decade latter we're just now getting back on our feet! I don't know about the rest of you. But if the colonists stumbled into some kind of trouble, then they'll have to fend for themselves." The krogan representative said. "N'tuuka, can you play the message?" John asked.

"Yes. Be advised, the file is corrupted, and we have only cleaned up the audio." N'tuuka said as the video began.

 _"This is Pathfinder Scott Ryder. I don't know if there's anyone in the Milky Way to answer this but... well this galaxy is a bigger mess then we thought. The Arks and the Nexus were damaged by the Scourge. Some kind of... I still don't know what it is. It's... it's basically a kind of 'space coral' that damages ships. In the chaos Director Jien Garson was killed. Not by the Scourge! But murdered on-board the Nexus, and was presumed killed by the Scourge. The Arks damaged. Asari and salarian Arks boarded by hostile alien natives. Turian reached it's designated world, but it was severely damaged. Both it and it's target Habitat. Ark Keelah Si'yah... well it's intact but. I'd rather not get into WHAT I had to rescue them from! Ark Hyperion was the only one to make it relatively in tact... but my father, the last Pathfinder of Ark Hyperion died. But that's the past... the Nexus has been fully upgraded. We have functioning colonies, and we've even gained the resources to terraform the Hyperion golden world, we have an ally in the Heleus Cluster in the angara. To clarify there not the aliens that boarded the Leusinia and the Paarchero. That's a whole other alien race... kett. To put it simply the kett are monsters. They occupied this cluster nearly a century ago, and the angara have been fighting an inter-planetary guerrilla war ever since. What's even worse... the kett reproduce by completely overwriting the genetic material of aliens, turning them into kett! Mainly angara around here. But they've even figured out how to turn krogan into barely sentient abominations! There should be more detailed files on what's been going on here. But point is. We've driven off the kett. But they'll be back. It was... frankly because of sheer dumb luck then we drove them off, and killed there Archon. But they'll be back with even greater numbers, and ships... I don't know if there's anyone on the other end of this thing. Or even if your friendlies. But please... if you can help us. Send whatever you can. Pathfinder Ryder. Over and out."_

"Well... that complicates things." The krogon representative said. "I vote that I don't get directly involved with this mess. All in favor say I, I, motion caries!" John said hastily. "So... N-N'tuuka. How is that inter-galactic Mass Relay coming along again?" The raloi representative asked. "The Consensus estimates that it will be about fifty years before the technical details are refined and perfected... at least. We are attempting to create a gateway to interstellar travel that. Up until the war was used almost exclusively for traveling between star systems Representative Tavar." N'tuuka said. "Oh... then in the meantime. Can we discuss the matter regarding raloi colonization? There a number of suitable planets close to Turvess. And we have little in experience in interstellar colonization... and there are clans of vorcha on some of them. So that'll also be a bit of an issue." Tavar continued.

"Wait... did it seem like he knew that something would be wrong? He doubted anyone would get his message." John said. "He's at least six-hundred years in the future. Even without the war, anything could happen to our galaxy in that time." The quarian representative said. "But does he know about the Reapers? I mean, could anyone in the Andromeda Initiative know?... did Garson put this whole thing together just to get away from the Reapers?" John asked. "It could be possible. But we're just speculating at this point. And you heard N'tuuka. It will take fifty years to reach them... but is there a way to contact them? Send messages to them?" The salarian representative said.

"Yes, but it's not a two way communication, and even then. We don't know if they can decipher and clean up our messages. For now. I believe it be best that we focus on rebuilding galactic infrastructure. I might also suggest launching an investigation into any backers of the Andromeda Initiative." N'tuuka said. "Agreed, such a large operation would require an enormous amount of resources. There has to be a trail to follow." The asari representative said. "That maybe. But we have to see to the rebuilding of OUR galaxy. As it stands... we don't have the capability of helping the AI." The turian representative said.

"That's true... but we should still let them know that home is still standing. Give them hope, even if it's a distant one." John said. The representatives murmured for a moment. "Your logic is sound Representative Shepherd Commander. Attempts will be made to reach the colonists in the Andromeda galaxy. Perhaps even establish a stable line of communications." N'tuuka said. "And speaking of which. Raloi colony's?" Tavar said.

The meeting went on like this. With it now about deciding how to help the raloi colonize nearby systems.

Eventually Shepherd returned home, his daughters and wife waiting. "So... how was school?" John asked. "It was fine. The teachers were nice. We made a couple of friends." Elizabeth said. "And Ahsoka didn't get into trouble?" John asked sardonically. "Daddy! That was an accident!" Ahsoka said. "No one's saying you meant to hurt Yaar'vik." Liara said. "No, Ahsoka didn't get into trouble. She almost started a food fight, but nothing came of it." Benezieh said. "And don't you girls have homework?... seriously, do you?" John asked. "We already finished dad... and with that in mind can we-"

"Yes Elizabeth, you can go play video games. But when we call for dinner, we better not have to ask twice." John said. "Fair enough." Ahsoka said as she and her sisters left there parents alone. "So what happened today?" Liara asked. "Well short answer. The raloi want help colonizing some planets near there home system. The turians want to use geth labor to rebuild the fleets. And we got word that the colonists in Andromeda have survived. So any ideas on what to have for dinner?" John said.

"Wait. Andromeda?... I met with the human Pathfinder Alec Ryder." Liara said. "What? You know someone from the AI?" John asked. "Yes, he contacted me for help on researching fallen civilizations." Liara said. "And why didn't you mention the Andromeda Initiative before?" John asked. "We've had bigger issues John. And besides, nobody would expect to hear from them any time soon, if at all." Liara said. "I see, but we need to know everything that we can about the AI. Literally no one but the geth and batarian representatives knew about it." John said.

"My only real contact with the Andromeda Initiative was with Alec. And I never bothered to ask about the initiative's objectives beyond the colonization of the Andromeda galaxy. He suspected that there could be ancient technology in the Heleus cluster." Liara said. "At any rate. N'tuuka said that we can't get there in less then fifty years. Because the geth are working on a giant mass relay that can get us to Andromeda... and presumably back as well. I really should have asked about that." John said. "Oh... so we can't help the Andromeda colonists?" Liara asked.

"Not directly, I think we can only get communications from them. Maybe data." John said. "Then we have plenty of time. For now, lets just enjoy our lives... we barely survived the Reaper War. Let's not go seeking wars we can't even fight in the first place." Liara said. "Agreed... now about dinner. What have we got?" John said


	2. Chapter 2

Sixty years passed since the Reaper War's end.

In that time, the species of the Milky Way galaxy had rebuilt much of what had been destroyed by the Reapers.

The krogan had been reborn as the United Clans of Tuchanka, with firm population control laws, and surprisingly healthy relationships with the turians and the salarians. They were ready to reclaim their place they had lost in the galaxy in the fires of the Krogan Rebellion.

The rachni had reestablished themselves on their deserted homeworld of Suen, though smaller than other galactic realms, even at their prime before the Rachni War. They were fairly content to simply live.

The Batarian Hegemony had been reorganized into the Parliamentary Assembly of Khar'shan. Made up of the survivors of the batarian military from the Reaper War, they largely abolished slavery under the belief that the practice had made the batarian people weak by and large. Not to mention the almost ridiculous amount of power that the batarian nobility had over the old hegemony.

The numbers of the elcor had been restored to the stable numbers from before the Reaper War by the Phoenix Program.

The volus were finally given recognition for establishing galactic commerce, and for their help in turn with reestablishing the galactic credit in the aftermath of the war

The drell had been granted independence from the hanar, and a number of drell had been allowed to recolonize there desolate homeworld of Rahkana, alongside those of their people that remained from the hanar sponsored exodus. As well as being granted the resources to restore Rahkana's environment by the Coalition.

Fortunes of the hanar… took a strange turn. As in the wars aftermath, Javik, one of Commander Shepherd's squad mates during the war, and the last of the Protheans. Along with a number of Awoken Collectors, Prothean husks that had been liberated from the thrall of the Reaper Harbinger, had usurped the leadership of Kahje. Appointing themselves as god-kings over the hanar, permitting those drell that wished to live by their own accord to leave the hanar homeworld, then after that, the Protheans began eating hanar sacrifices. Mainly criminals or volunteers that believed it an honor to be eaten, this also forced a number of hanar to disperse into the wider galaxy from there homeworld, many losing faith in there 'Enkindler' gods, to say nothing of the revelations regarding the Reapers, the Cycles, and the Mass Relays.

The quarians immune systems had healed enough to live without there environmental suits. Though the still wore outfits influenced by their ancestors garb, in memory of their long exile from Rannoch.

The geth in turn became valuable members of the galactic community, both as builders and as soldiers.

The Protheans, as you've just red had taken over Kahje. In galactic affairs they largely kept to themselves. Aside from raiding supplies from the Coalition, specifically to acquire materials from the Phoenix Program, and try to restore the Prothean race to a sustainable breeding population. There ultimate ambition is unclear, but many believe that the Protheans would attempt to reassert their dominance over the galaxy. Regardless of the truth of the matter, Kahje is considered a rogue world. With a number of the surviving hanar colonies seceding from there homeworld, rather than bend the knee (so to speak) to obvious tyrants.

As for the Council races, asari, salarians, turians and humans, there homeworlds were rebuilt from the ashes of the Reaper War.

But this story isn't about the rebuilding of the galaxy from the ashes of apocalyptic war.

For the past fifty years, since the Coalition leadership had learned that the Andromeda Initiative. An organization that had been created to settle the distant Andromeda galaxy, under the pretense of extra-galactic exploration and building new lives in the new galaxy, but in reality it was an attempt by clandestine groups to save most of the Milky Way's species and civilizations from the Reapers.

In that time the geth had been constructing a powerful Mass Relay to enable travel to the distant galaxy. To reunite with the colonists, and in turn to try to help them against a hostile species called the kett.

The year is now 2246.

And John Shepherd, the hero of the Reaper War, stood on an observation platform before a ship under construction. It was the new flagship of the Galactic Coalition, replacing the Destiny Ascension that had been retired long ago, the Phoenix Paragon. An enormous Dreadnaught/Carrier hybrid constructed with geth technology and labor.

Inspired in part by the geth Dreadnaught that served in the geth defense of Rannoch during the Reaper War, this colossal ship was not only a technological marvel and a powerhouse in its own right. But also as a symbol that even bloodied and broken, the Milky Way would stand tall in the face of any opposition against the survival of their civilizations.

"Quite a sight, ain't it?" A volus said, meeting up with Shepherd.

"Var Tethic, you're the one that funded this project." Shepherd said.

"Yep… I think we met in person a few times while this thing was being built. Think it's been about five years we've been working on the Phoenix Paragon. But yeah, my name is on most of the checks that payed for this big tub." Var Tethic said

"It's the biggest and most powerful warship in the entire galaxy. But we have accounted for sabotage right?" Shepherd asked.

"Pretty sure, even then, with your reputation nobody would dare try to interfere with this project. Probably any potential saboteurs thought that they'd get thrown out the nearest airlock by you personally." Var Tethic explained.

"I'm old Var, we humans may have longer lifespans then back before we discovered the Charon Relay and made our way into the galaxy at large. But still, I think I've more than earned my retirement. So I'm not throwing anyone out of airlocks anytime soon." Shepherd said.

"Well anyway. It should be ready for its maiden voyage in just a few more days, but… where to first? I mean I helped pay for it. I don't really understand why I should pay geth workers. But I think I'd like to know where my investment is going." Var Tethic said.

"That's… classified." Shepherd said.

"Come on, it's my money. And I want to know where this ship'll be going to first. Is it to liberate Kahje from Javik and the Reborn Protheans?" Var Tethic asked. Shepherd merely glared at the volus. "Uh… never mind. I'll just see myself off." Var Tethic said as he left Shepherd alone on the observation platform.

In the sixty years since the wars end. Shepherd had married Liara T'soni, and had three daughters with her. Unfortunately, Liara had disappeared while on an archeological dig to what was thought to be the long lost and forgotten homeworld of the Protheans.

Since then Shepherd had remarried and had human children with a human women. Then a human woman showed up behind Shepherd. She had black hair in a short messy haircut, nearly pitch black skin, and blue eyes. The woman was also wearing N7 armor.

"Ah… you must be Commander Sierra, you'll be leading the grounds missions for the Phoenix Paragon right?" Shepherd asked of the young women.

"Yes sir, I'll be in charge of leading ground missions for the Phoenix Paragon. Where will our first mission be if you don't mind my asking?" Commander Sierra said.

"You'll find out when we get there. Till then, get to know your squad. You might find that they'll be the best friends you'll ever have." Shepherd said.

"I'll… make the attempt sir." Sierra said.

"That's good, and do you know if the Phoenix Paragon is ready to depart?" Shepherd asked.

"I don't know a specific time sir." Sierra said.

"Fair enough, still until we do leave. You should be aboard to speak with some of your squad mates." Shepherd said.

"I understand sir; I'll be aboard the Phoenix Paragon." Sierra said, eventually she was aboard the massive warship, meeting up with two of her squad mates. Both of them were human men.

"Commander Sierra, I was wondering when we'd get to meet you in person." The first of them said, a man glowing with biotic powers and a Russian accent.

"So you're my biotic?" Sierra asked.

"My name is Ivan Olaf Alexander, and yes. I am biotic, but I do not believe we know each other well enough to say that I am yours or other way around da?" Ivan said at length.

"Ivan, it's not nice to mess with people's heads like that." The second man said, fiddling with his omni-tool.

"Calm yourself Tim is all in good humor. Nothing sinister on my part… or is it?!" Ivan said.

"Regardless… do either of you know where our first official mission will be?" Sierra asked.

"Not a clue, though the only place we could go would probably the hanar homeworld of Kahje. Heard a lot of bad things about the Protheans are doing… reason enough to go in guns blazing I say." Tim said.

"Agreed tovarishch, but we don't know for certain that we will be going there." Ivan said.

"Attention all hands. This is your captain, John Shepherd." Shepherd said over the ships comm systems.

"Think we'll get a straight-forward explanation sir?" Tim said to Sierra. "It's not my place to speculate… though I imagine that is what he is about to do." Sierra said.

"We will be leading a Coalition fleet to liberate Kahje, the hanar homeworld from the Reborn Protheans. For years Javik has been a thorn in the side of the Coalition. Stealing from Coalition supply fleets, to say nothing of the Protheans barbaric treatment of the hanar on Kahje itself, and we'll show Javik and his followers that though the Protheans live again, there time ruling our galaxy as its uncontested rulers is over. Keep in mind, this is not merely a mission of liberation… but I want to reach out to an old friend, convince him that what he is doing is wrong. But if he refuses to listen to reason… you all know what must be done, John Shepherd out." Shepherd said at length.

"Well… so we are going after the Last Prothean." Tim said.

"I want you two to begin training with me. I for one don't know how long the voyage to Kahje will be, but we must be ready to face Javik and his forces." Sierra commanded.


	3. Chapter 3

On the hanar homeworld of Kahje, a number of shuttles with the colors of the Galactic Coalition were landing in the capital city of Enkindlers Rise. Out of one of the shuttles stepped Commander Sierra, and her squad mates Ivan Olaf Alexander, and Tim.

"Well. This is so far going better then I believed it would." Ivan said.

"We lost a lot of fighters and bombers, just to compromise the air defenses. I wouldn't call that 'better' even if they got the job done." Tim said bitterly.

"Focus, we have a mission to complete. We can worry about the losses when and if we survive this fight." Sierra said as she, Ivan and Tim ventured into the city. They were immediately beset by Reborn Protheans.

"Ambush, get to cover!" Commander Sierra ordered, and the three of them dove into cover from the weapons fire of the Reborn Protheans. "Tim! Get a drone out and harass them! Ivan, erect a barrier!" Sierra commanded.

"And this is why you are commander!" Ivan said as he erected his barrier, and Tim threw out a drone to harass the Protheans.

"What are Protheans even doing here? Why aren't we seeing hanar? This is there homeworld after all!" Tim said.

"Not sure, but we'll figure it out as we go along. We're not the only team on the ground, and you know it. Now cut the chatter and trying to get a shot on them!" Commander Sierra said.

The firefight grew in intensity as more Reborn Protheans joined the fight.

"This is getting ridiculous! How many Reborn Protheans are there?" Tim shouted.

"Last reports say, roughly one-billion Protheans cloned from Collector DNA, Javik himself, and whatever remains have been scavenged from across the galaxy. So if nothing else, they have a stable breeding population at this point… though how many we should even be fighting here is head scratching to say the least." Sierra said.

"Pah! Less talking, more shooting!" Ivan said, and then a gunship flew up from behind, turning the tables for Commander Sierra's squad.

"Why didn't we get gunship support at the outset?" Tim complained.

"Hellooo down there." The gunship pilot said as it landed.

"Commander Sierra, leader of Squad Gundnir." Sierra said, and out of the gunship stepped an asari in red armor.

"Gunnery-Chief Ahsoka T'soni-Shepherd. And you're welcome for the fancy shooting." Ahsoka said in a smug tone.

"You have my thanks. But what is the situation?" Sierra asked.

"To make a long story short, the Reborn Protheans have this place better defended then we thought. The AA guns are silent, but the ground defenses are stronger then the brass anticipated." Ahsoka explained.

"Figures that command would screw up." Tim said.

"Tim, it could be worse. Besides, we've only just started. What is worse that could-" Ivan's reassurance was cut short as a cut shot thundered. And Ivan himself fell dead.

"SNIPER, GET INSIDE NOW!" Ahsoka shouted, and Sierra and Ivan ran inside. "Either of you been onboard a Roc-Class Gunship? Regardless, welcome aboard, I'll be your pilot. My sisters are the crew, and before you ask. Yes, this thing does carry a Goliath walker, and we haven't deployed it yet." Ahsoka said in a hurry as she made her way to the gunship cockpit.

"Tim… I'm sorry about Ivan." Sierra said to Tim.

"I've known that man since we were kids… and we didn't even take the body!" Tim said.

"We'll recover his body when we're done with this place! For now… we just have to soldier on." Sierra said.

"You heard that from our dad? Because that sounds like… wait. You're not his protégé are you?" Ahsoka asked.

"Yes, I'm Commander-"

"Look, just get to know my sisters. In the meantime, we'll be helping stranded marine squads. As we go along, help clean up the mess that daddy-dearest has made." Ahsoka said as she took to the controls.

"Ahsoka, you know it's unfair to blame father for how this attack is going." Elizabeth, an asari in a jumpsuit said.

"I know Lizzy, but really. The man killed a Reaper WITH A THREASHER MAW! You'd think this whole thing would be going smoother." Ahsoka said.

"Past accomplishments do not indicate a person's capabilities sister." Beneziah, one of Ahsoka's sisters said.

"Look… just keep things running smoothly. Sierra, I need you and your friend to help us. Roc's maybe durable birds, but I'm not taking any chances." Ahsoka said.

XXXX

A number of harrowing rescues of Coalition marines went by, by the time the attack on Enkindlers Rise's capital building started in earnest.

"It's good to see you salvaged the operation Ahsoka. But remember, I want Javik alive! It's imperative that-"

"I know dad! Sheesh, believe it or not, I do read the mission briefings." Ahsoka said snappishly.

"Regardless. Only kill Javik as an absolute last resort, if he won't listen to me… you remember why this is so important." Shepherd said.

"Pretty much every year since Javik took over Kahje dad. Now, let's get this whole thing over with." Ahsoka said.

"Shepherd out." Shepherd said, his hologram disappearing.

"You do not seem to get along with your father." Sierra observed.

"It's a long and personal story. Nothing you need to know about Commander." Elizabeth said.

"And what about Javik, what's so important that his survival is a mission priority, especially after all he's done?" Commander Sierra asked.

"You'll find out when we get to him. Just pipe down and DO NOT. Bring up our father again." Ahsoka said in annoyance.

"If it is alright by you Ahsoka, I would like to join in Commander Sierra's squad when we make the final attack on Javik himself." Benezia said.

"Fine… you need some fresh air anyway, even if here it's salt air." Ahsoka said.

XXXX

Eventually, Sierra and her squad, now joined by Benezia were in Javik's throne room.

"Javik… the last of the Protheans, you look to be doing well despite the years… and facing the Reapers twice in one life time." Benezia said.

"And you are one of Shepherds daughters from Liara… have you come to finish what the Reapers started fifty-thousand years ago?" Javik said.

"Far from it, in fact… my father wishes to parley." Benezia said as she produced a small orb that floated towards Javik. And from it, came a hologram of John Shepherd.

"You couldn't face me in person, Commander?" Javik asked.

"Javik… you need to stand down." John said.

"Really? You have developed a strange way of asking for things. Sending in armies onto my world-"

"Kahje was never yours to begin with! Now stow your vaunted pride somewhere where I can't hear it for the umpteenth time. And LISTEN. TO ME." John said in anger.

"And why should I do anything?" Javik asked.

"Because… I need your help. I would have just asked you directly, but Kahje is a rogue state… thank you for that." John said.

"With what, Commander? Surely you do not require my Reborn to face it." Javik asked.

"It's… complicated. Just have your forces surrender, return Kahje to the hanar, and I can explain." John said.

"And even if you are being honest. What good would any help I could provide be of use?" Javik asked.

"Well… to make a long story short. It's in another galaxy… Andromeda to be specific." John said.

"Hmm… I did not even know that you primitives had the capacity to leave our galaxy. Very well… I will have the Reborn stand down. But I will personally destroy you if I ever learn that I have been deceived." Javik said.


End file.
